smith



(No Model.)

D. L. SMITH.

' BUCKLE. v No. 883,498. Patented May 29, 1888.

N. PETERS, Prwwumogn har. Wnhin ton. 11c

NlTED STATES PATENT Finch.

DWVIGHT L. SMITH, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO EARL A. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383. 9 dated y 9. 1

Application filed April 2, 1888.

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DWIGHT L. SMITH, of W'atcrbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following,when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be afull,clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a front view of the buckle complete; Fig. 2, a rear view of the same; Fig. 3, a top View; Fig. 4., the front plate, A, as pre pared for assembling, and also illustrating the method of uniting the two plates; Fig. 5, the blank for the plate B; Fig. 6, an edge view of the plate B detached; Fig. 7, avertical section cutting through one of the ears h; Fig. 8, a horizontal section of the frame, the lever removed 5 Fig. 9, a rear view, the lever removed; Fig. 10, the lever detached; Figs. 11 and 12, modifications.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of buckles for suspenders and like purposes, in which the frame is made of tubular formthat is, with a front and back parallel with each other, leaving a space between the front and back through which the suspender or strap may pass-said frame having combined therewith a hinged lever the jaw of which swings between the back and front of the frame, so as to impinge upon the strap within the frame. In the more general construction of this class of buckles the front and back are of the same depth.

The object of my invention is to reduce the depth of the back, thereby greatly reducing the amount of metal in the frame, but yet make the buckle as strong if not stronger than the usual construction; and it consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

A represents the front plate, and B the rear plate, of the frame. The front plate, as seen in Fig. 4, is constructed with outwardlyprojecting ears a a, two at each end, distant from each other substantially the width of the back plate, B. The frame is provided at its lower edge with a hook or other suitable means for attachment common in this class of buckles.

Serial No. 269.274. (No model.)

The back plate, B, is of a length corresponding to the length of the front plate, as seen in Fig. 5,With an extension at each end equal to the portion 12, which is in length equal to the distance which the plate B is to stand from the plate A, and with a further projection, d, at each end, these projections (I being Wider than the plate B, so as to form lateral projections or cars e at each side. These projections e of the plate B correspond to the cars a of the plate A. The end portions of the plate B are bent from the plate at right angles to form the two ends b b, as seen in Fig. 6, and the projections (1 are turned inward into a plane parallel with the plate B, as seen in Fig. 6.

The plate B is set in its proper place upon the plate A--that is, in a position so that the body of the plate stands in line between the ears a a on the plate, and so that the projec- 7c tions 6 6 stand in line with the cars a a, as indicated at the left, Fig. 4.. Then the cars a a, at each end of the plate A, are turned inward over the projections e e, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 4, and also seen in Figs. 7 and 8. This interlocking of the ears a a of the plate A over the projections or corresponding ears e e of the plate B firmly secures the two together and in their proper relation to each other. This forms a tubular frame for the buckle,but with the back plate of very much less depth than the front, the depth of the front plate being desirable for the ornamental appearance which it gives to the buckle.

The lever C is best hung in the plate B, and so as to stand upon the rear side of the buckle. This lever is made from sheet metal, and has its edge D turned from the body of the lever at right angles, as represented in Fig. 10, and as usual in this class of levers. The lever may 0 be hung in various ways. As represented in the illustrations thus far referred to, it is hung upon a Wire bar, f, supported in the plate B, and to thus support the wire bar f the plate B is constructed with a recess, 9, upon its under edge, less in length than the length of the frame, and at each end of thereccss ears h project from that edge, and so as to be closed around each end of the wire bar f, as seen in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, and so that the bar extends I00 across the recess 0, parallel with the edge of the plate 13, as seen in Fig. 9. The length of thelever 0 corresponds to the length of the recess 9 in the plate B, and the lever is constructed with ears i,which are bent around the wire bar, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to form a hinge upon which the lever may turn, the lever operating in the usual manner for levers in this class of buckles. Instead of introducing a hinge-bar, f, upon which to hang the lever, the plate B may be constructed with a longitudinal slot, Z, (see Fig. 1,) through which the leverwill be introduced. This is a common expedient for hanging the lever, the jaw of the lever being longer than the length of the lever and the length of the slot corresponding to the length of the lever, and so that the ends of thejaw will extend upon the inside of the plate B, beyond each end of the slot, as seen in Fig. 12, .and in the usual manner of hanging the lever through a slot in the tubular frame.

It will be understood that the depth of the rear plate, B, may be greater or less with relation to the depth of the plate A, and also that the lever may be introduced through the plate A instead of through the plate B, if so desired. In this case the lever may be introduced through a longitudinal slot formed in the plate A, as seen in Fig. 4. Under this construction the front and rear plates are secured together in a firm and durable manner and without the employment of solder.

I claim- In a buckle the frame of Which consists of front and rear plates, A B, forming substantially a tubular frame, the said plate B constructed with projections d at each end, the said projections forming laterally-projecting ears 0 e, the said projections turned inside the plate B and parallel therewith, distant from the plate B corresponding substantially to the distance required between the plates A and B, and the plate A constructed with ears a a at each end, corresponding to the said ears 0 e on the plate B, and the said ears a, a closed over the ears 6 e as a means for uniting the two plates A and B to form the buckle-frame, substantially as described.

DWIGHT L. SMITH.

Witnesses:

O. E. WILOOX, H. L. SLAUsoN. 

